Manufacture of brushes.



T. F. BARRY.

MANUFACTURE 0F BRUSHES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11, 1911.

1,097,287. Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES Ariana? OFFICE.

THOMAS F. BARRY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNGR T0 RUBBER & CELLULOIDHARNESS TRIMMING C0., 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEWJERSEY.

MANUFACTURE, 0F BRUSHES.

1,097 ,287 4 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 19, 1914,

Application led July 11, 1911. Serial No. 637,917.

To all whom it may conce-rn Be it known that I, THOMAS F. BARRY, acitizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Manufacture of Brushes, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of brushes,such as hair brushes and the like, and it consists in the novelfeatures, structuie and method hereinafter described, and particularlypointedv out in the claims.

I present my invention as embodied in the manufacture of'hair brushes,to which it is particularly applicable, although not confined to brushesfor brushing the hair.

It is highly desirable that the bristles of a brush be so secured thatthey will not shed and that the entire set of bristles be so conf nectedtogether that the block may be readily applied to the back of the brushand properly secured. It is also desirable that a method of manufacturebe pursued which will enable the production at reasonable expense of avery durable and attractive brush.

In accordance with my invention I arrange the entire set of tufts ofbristles for a brush in a suitable plate permanently remaining thereon,said plate usually being of metal and having a rubber-coated surface toprevent rust, and apply rubber composition to the ends of the tuftsprojecting through the holes in said plate and then vulcanize thisrubber on a steam table. the bristles through a metal templet platehaving holes corresponding with the holes in the plate to remainpermanently in the brush and after the vulcanization strip this tenipletplate fron-1 the tufts of bristles. In instances in which the block orset of bristles secured to the permanent plate is to form a pait of a'celluloid or pyroxylin brush or applied to a recess in a solidcelluloid' brush back or a brush back having a wooden body or the likecovered with a veneering of celluloid, I also thread the bristlesthrough a celluloid plate having holes corresponding with the permanentplate and the teinplet plate and interposed between the two plates, sothat in the final nished brush the surface exposed around and betweenthe tufts of bristles may have the saine linish as the back of thebrush. When producing what is coin- I also thread monly calledcelluloidbrushes, I will place the permanent plate, celluloid plate and thetemplet plate together in face to face con tact 1n a die having properrecesses in line with the holes in the lates and then thread thebristles through tie holes in the plates to form the tufts, the thenupper ends of the various tufts rejecting abo-ve the perinalient late. Tereafter by means of a het 1 ron lron down or flatten the upper proJectingends of the tufts against the top of the permanent plate, afterwhich I slide the celluloid plate and templet plate down- Wardly uponthe tufts of bristles to a suitable extent and then apply by dipping orotherwise a reasonably soft solution of rubber upon the ironed down endsof the tufts and allow the block to stand a reasonable length of time,preferably over night, and

thereafter I apply a thicker solution of rubber over the top of thepermanent plate and the knot ends of the bristles thereon to form asubstantial body of rubber which is first allowed to stand a few hoursor preferably over night and then placed on a steanitable andvulcanized, care being taken to protect the celluloid plate present onthe tufts against injury during the vulcanization step, from the heat ofthe steam table. After the vulcanization has taken place the teinpletplate is stripped from the tufts and the celluloid plate is pushedupwardly gainst the permanent plate and thereupon the block may be atonce inserted in the recess of the brush back or it may be-given adished shape so as to 'throw the ends of the tufts of bristles on aconvex curvature. Upon the insertion of the block in the recess in thebrush back, thecelluloid veneering applied to the brush back Will becemented, along the edges of tl'ie recess in said back, to the edges ofthe sheet or plate of celluloid on the tufts of bristles, thus impartingto the brush back a continuous celluloid surface.

The brush produced by nie is of extremely durable character and mymethod of manufacture is one which can with certainty be relied upon infactory practice to produce high class goods at reasonable expense.

In instances in which the block of tufts of bristles is not to beapplied to a celluloid brush back but to a wooden or other back, thecelluloid plate above referred to, as be` ing between the permanentplate and teiliplet plate will be entirely omitted, and the permanentplate Will be secured to the back by means of screws or other suitablemeans.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a top View of a metal or other plate which I premanent-lyapply near the upper ends of the tufts of bristles, said tufts beinginsert-ed through openings in said plate to receive the rubber which isto be thereafter vulcanized thereon; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the die in which the plate shown in Fig. 1, a removabletemplet plate, and, when occasion requires, a celluloid or pyroxylinplate are held during the threading of the bristles through the holes inthe same provided for the tufts, leaving the upper ends of the bristlesprojecting above the permanent.

plate which finally receives the rubber to be vulcanized thereon forsecuring the tufts of bristles; Fig. 3 is a like view of the same withthe top plate of the die removed and the projecting ends of the tufts ofbristles shown as having been ironed down or fiattened with a hot iron,perparatory to re` ceiving the rubber; Fig. 4 illustrates a further stepin the process of manufacturing the brush consisting in sliding theremovable plate or templet and celluloid plate downwardly upon the tuftsof bristles, and applying the rubber to the top of the permanent metalplate, Fig. 4 being a vertical longitudinal section of the plates andbristles removed from the die; Fig. 5 illustrates the step in theprocess of nianufacture which consists in vulcanizing the rubber appliedupon the permanent plate at the knot ends of the tufts of bristles, Fig.5 being a sectional view of a portion of a steam table and the devicesapplied thereon for enabling the vulcanizat-ion of the rubber, theblock, as it is termed, or set of tufts and plates, being illustrated inposition over the steam table and held by the devices provided for thatpurpose; Fig. 6 is a top View, partly broken away, of the same; Fig. 7is a vertical longitudinal section through a hollow block supporting atits edges one of the blocks of bristles after the vulcanization step ofthe process has been completed, and Fig. 7 is presented to illustratethat further step in the process, which consists, when desired, inconvexing the outer side of the block or that from which the bristlesproject so that the bristles may present a convex outline at their endsinstead of bein left in the style shown in Fig. 5 and pro ucing a flatbrush; Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section through a brush-back or abrush-back core having the block illustrated in Fig. 7 applied thereto,and Fig. 9 is a like view of the same but showing the back as coveredwith a veneering of celluloid or other pyroXylin material united at itsedges to the edges of the plate or sheet of celluloid originally appliedin the die shown in Fig. 2 and through which the bristles were threaded.

In the drawing, referring more particurlarly to Fig. 9, 10 designatesthe back of a brush, 11 the series of tufts of bristles, 12 a celluloidplate or sheet through which said tufts are threaded, 13 a metal platein face to face engagement with the celluloid plate or sheet 12 andhaving a series of apertures `or holes, shown in Fig. 1, matching theholes in the said plate or sheet 12 and receiving the upper ends of thetufts of bristles, and 14 a substantial body of vulcanized hard rubberupon said plate 13 and binding all of the knot ends of the bristles inposition thereon, said plates 12, 13 land body of hard rubber 14 beingseated within a recess formed in the back 10 and said back in theconstruction presented in Fig. 8 being formed of a core 15 covered with`a sheet or veneer of celluloid or other pyroxylin or suitable material1G, whose edges lap against and are cemented to the outer edges of thesheet or plate 12, whereby the core 15 becomes entirely covered with thecelluloid or other pyroxylin material and the surface between the tuftsof bristles 11 is caused to harmonize with the other surfaces of theback. The cementing of the edges of the veneer 16 to the edges of thesheet or plate 12 results in the tufts of bristles, plates 12, 13 andrubber 14 being securely held within the recess in the back 10, but ifdesired or if in any case it should be necessary to do so, said platesmay be additionally secured to the back by means of screws, as shown in-Fig. 8. Under all ordinary circumstances the use of screws for fasteningthe block of tufts to the back 10 will not be necessary when a veneering16 is employed and cemented to the edges of a pyroxylin sheet or plate12,

The process of manufacturing the brush constitutes a part of myinvention, and this process is illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1to 7 inclusive.

In carrying out my process in the manufacture of the brush illustratedin Fig. 9 I assemble a plate 13 preferably of metal, a pyroxylin plateor sheet 12 of plastic material, such as celluloid, and a templet plate1T, these plates being placed face to face with the celluloid sheet orplate 12 between the plates 13, 17 and all of said plates beingapertured correspondingly, in accordance with the outline of the brushto be produced, to receive the tufts of bristles 11. When the threeplates 12, 13, 17 have been brought together, they are placed within arecess in a plate 18 constituting a part of a die 19 comprisinginaddition to the plate 18 a top plate 20, a lower plate 21 and a baseplate 22. The plates 18, 20, 21 are vertically apertured in line withthe tuft receiving holes in the plate 13, and the apertures or holes inthe plate have downwardly and inwardly converging walls, as shown inFig. 2, directly above the plate 13. The vertical holes or apertures inthe plate 18 have substantially parallel Walls and the holes oraperturesl in the plate 21 Will vary in diameter at their lowerportions, presenting, say, three diameters and this being for thepurpose of so controlling the bristles of t-he tufts that their lowerends will extend downwardly to varying distances as required in themanufacture of ya properly made hair brush. After the plates 12, 13, 17have been placed in the recess in the plate 18, the plate 20 will thenbe placed v over the plate 1S in the position in which it is shown inFig. 2, thus fully inclosing the said plates 12, 13, 17, and thereuponthe bristles will be threaded down through the holes in the plate 20,the holes in the plates 12, 13, 17, theholes in the plate 18 and theholes in the plate 21 until tufts of the proper proportion have beenproduced for a brush. After the tufts of bristles have been formed thecover or top plate 20 of the die 19 is removed, and this leaves theupper ends of all o-f the tufts projecting above the plate 13. Ithereupon bymeans of a hot iron Hatten down the upwardly projecting endsof the tufts, while the plates 12, 13, 17 are still in the plate 18 ofthe die. I thereupon remove the plates 12, 13, 17 and tufts from the diesections 18, 21 and slide the plates 12, 17 downwardly on the tufts, asshown in Fig. 4, to space apart the pyroxylin plate or sheet 12 from thepermanent plate 13. I then apply by dipping or otherwise a thin solutionof rubber to the ironed down ends of the tufts upon the permanent plate13, this rubber being thin enough to get in around and between thebristles and coat the same. The block should then be allowed to stand afew hours and preferably over night, so that the rubber may undergo acuring action to a limited extent, and thereupon I apply a thickersolution of rubber, usually by means of a. brush, over the ironed downends or knots of the tufts of bristles and create a substantial body ofrubber at the upper side yof the plate 13 as indicated at 14 in thedrawings. The block should thereupon be allowed to stand for a furtherperiod, preferably over night, after which I proceed with thevulcanization step of my process. The means fory vulcanizing the body ofrubber applied on the knot-ends of the tufts of bristles and upon theplate 13,

is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 in which 23 indicates a portion of asteam-table of ordinary construction, 24a metal plate placed thereonhaving a recess or matrix 25 to receive the body of rubber on the knotends of the tufts of bristles and the plate 13 and hold the same Whilesaid rubber 1s being vulcanized by heat from said table, and 26plate-sections removably held on the late 24 by means of thumb-screws27, said p atesections 26 corresponding with each other and beingrecessed in their facin edges to encompass the set of tufts 11 in t emanner shown in Fig. 5, the plate sections 26 along the edges. ofI therecesses thereinbein'g adapted to lap over upon the outer edges of theplate 13 and hold said plate firmly in position during the Vulvanizationof the rubber 14. The plate-sections 26 may be rmly secured over theedges of the plate 13 and around the series of tufts 11 by means of thethumb-screws 27, and, upon the loosening of said screws, the plates 26may be slid outwardly in directions from each other so as Vto fullyrelease the plate 13 with the bristles and rubber `carried, thereby andleave the plate 24 in condition to receive another block of bristles. Iapply upon the steamtable 23 a sheet of asbestos 28 having an openingtherein adapted to snugly receive the plate 24, whereby the heat of thetable is prevented from affecting anything except ythe plate 24.I It isessential that the celluloid or pyroxylin sheet or late 12 be protectedagainst the action of) heat from the steam table 23and those portions ofthe plate '24 surrounding the matrix 25, andto accomplish this purpose Iprovide matching sheet-s of asbestos 29 applied upon the plate 24 andextending between the outer edges of the plate 13 and the lower edges ofthe celluloid or pyroxylin plate 12, said sections being recessed attheir facing edges to snugly fit around the body of bristles, as clearlyrepresented in Figs. 5 and 6. As a furtner means for preventing the heatfrom the steam-table from injuring t-he pyroxylin plate or sheet 12, Iprovide an lair nozzle 30 and connect the same with a suitable source ofair under pressure, whereby and with the use of said nozzle a constantcurrent of air' may be blown over the templet plate 17 covering thepyroxylin plate or sheet 12, keeping the plate 17 cooled and enabling itto aid in saving the celluloid sheet 12 against injury from the heatarising from the steamtable 23-and vplate 24. After the body of rubber14 has become properly vulcanized, the templet plate 17 is strippeddownwardly from the tufts 11 and the celluloid plate 12 `on withoutdetriment to tufts and being of such size that the circumferential edgeportion of the plates 12, 13 rest upon the edges of the block 32surrounding said opening, as shown in Fig. 7. After the block ofbristles has been applied to the opening in the block 32, a suitableblow is delivered against the vulcanized rubber 14 to permanently dishthe plate 13 downwardly, whereby the tufts of bristles become radial andthe brush at the outer ends of the bristles is caused to have a convexoutline, as shown. In carrying out my invention I do not vulcanize therubber until it is brittle like a piece of glass or rock but only tosuch extent as to leave it hard but yet tenacious and without pronouncedbrittleness, and consequently I am enabled to dish the plate 13 and therubber 14 therethe holding characteristic of the rubber or injury to thetufts of bristles. The block of bristles after having been convexed isremoved from the block 32 and 'may be at once applied to the brush-heador brush-back or core 15 therefor, said core being formed with a recessto receive the rubber 14, late 13 and plate 12. The core 15 will then ecovered by a sheet or veneering of celluloid 16 or other vsuitablematerial whose edges will be lapped against the outer edges of the sheet12 of plastic material and be cemented thereto so as to become integraltherewith, t'hus fully covering the core 15 and imparting to the brushfinished surfaces, both at the back thereof and around and between thetufts 11. I may also additionally secure the plates 12, 13 to the core11 by means of screws, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, but ordinarily thesescrews will not be necessary when the plate 12 and veneering 16 are madeuse of.

My invention enables the production in an eiicient manner of a hairbrush whose back is formed of a core coated or veneered with eitherCelluloid or other plastic I'naterial and whose surface between thetufts of bristles is covered by like lastic material, and this is afeature o advantage which has not been accomplished heretofore in themanufacture of any hair or equivalent brush in which the knot ends ofthe tufts of bristles have been secured by heat'vulcanized hard rubber,so far as I am aware.

l I do not desire to limit my invention in every instance to theproduction of a brush employing the celluloid or pyroxylin plate 12 andveneering 16 of corresponding material, since in many instances theveneering 16 will be omitted and likewise the sheet or plate 12. vIn allcases in which I do not use the sheet 12 and veneering 16 I will carryon the process of manufacture just as has been hereinbefore described,except that the plate 12 will not be present, and finally the block ofbristles will be secured to the back or brushl head by means of screwsor other suitable means in lieu of in the manner described with respectto Fig. 9. The plate 13 is a ermanent metal plate, and when the celluoid sheet 12 is not made use of it will constitute the exposed surfacearound and between the tufts of bristles. I preferably bake a thin coatof rubber over the plate 13, and hence it will have a suitableappearance for use in a rubber back or rubber coated back brush, withthe sheet 12 absent. When using a white metal or silver or the like forthe plate 13, said plate need not necessarily be protected by a coatingon its surface.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. The improvement in the manufacture of brushes which consists inproviding a brush-head havin a recess therein, roviding a base-plateghavin' a series o holes therein for the series ofD individual tufts ofbristles, providing a templet plate having a corresponding series ofholes, providing a plate of plastic material, having a correspondingseries of holes, placing these plates 1n a sectional die having holesabove andbelow the said plates, introducing the bristles for theindividual tufts into the holes in said die and through the holes insaid plates with the upper ends of the bristles projecting above saidbase-plate, removing the top plate-section of the die to expose theupper projecting ends of the tufts of bristles, ironing said projectingends down against said base-plate, removing the base-plate,templet-plate, plastic material plate and tufts from the die, separatingthe plastic material and templet plates from said base-plate, applyingsoft rubber to the knot ends of said tufts, vulcanizing said rubber byexternally applied heat to form a substantial body binding` all of saidtufts together on said base-plate and at the same time protecting saidplastic material plate against the action of said heat, stripping thetemplet-plate from the tufts and moving said plastic material plateagainst said baseplate, applying said body of rubber and base-plate tothe recess in said brush-head, applying a veneering of plastic materialto the exterior of said brush-head, and securing said veneering to theedges of said plastic material plate. i

2. The improvement in the manufacture of brushes which consists inproviding a brush-head having a recess therein, providing 'a base-platehaving a series of holes therein for the series of individual tufts ofbristles, providing a templet plate having a corresponding series ofholes, placing these plates in a sectional die having holes above andbelow the said plates, introducing the bristles for the individual tuftsinto the holes in said die and through the holes in said plates with theupper ends of the bristles projecting above said base-plate, removingand base-plate carrying' the tufts to the rethe top plate-section of thedie to expose Cess in said` brush-head and. securing the the upperprojecting ends of the tufts of seme firmly to said head. bristles,removing the base-plate, templet- Signed at N ew York city, in thecounty of s plate and tufts from the die, applying soft New York, 'andState lof New York, this 1.5

rubber to the knot ends of the tufts, vulce-n- 10th day of July A. D.1911.

izing said rubber to form e substantial body THOMAS F. BARRY. bindingall of said tufts together on seid Witnesses: buse-plate, stripping.;`the templet-plate from CI-IAS. C. GILL,

the tufts, and applying' said body of rubber ARTHUR MARION.

